Ducati Monster Forum

I'm looking for a comfortable naked bike with aggressive styling and sound. I'm thinking the monster is for me.

I'm looking at 99-03 600-750's within the 3500-4200 price range.

Do you have any recommendations? Are there certain mechanical things I should look for? How is the reliability of these years and models?

Anything to avoid?

Thanks!

what year is your CBR?

having ridden the 2007 for a couple days, that really is a complete bike! the 999 motor of the monster S4Rs is better though, so get a test ride if you can. you'll want to have the full termi with ecu and (most importantly) a dyno-tune so don't get the monster if you don't have an excellent shop in your area.

you can ride the honda straight out of the crate and it's smooth and easy, but your monster will need a little help; get the suspension dialed in to make the best of the front end. one last thing, if you ride in the cold weather you'll need heated grips as the fly screen only keeps the weather off your neck.

I have an 04 600rr. I was thinking termi and a carb tune. There's a good shop in the area but it's far away. I love to ride all year round. Will the monster have cold start problems?

Thanks!

I rode mine all last winter and didn't have a problem in 2x degree temps.  It was an 05 S2R 800 though, don't know how an older carbie will act.

The 750 is going to have about half of the horsepower that you've now become used to. If I was you, I'd save up  my pennies and get one of the bigger monsters, which come already with suspension and brake upgrades and goodies like a dry clutch.

Year model is really not important, what you really want is a bike that's been maintained properly, make sure the seller has all the receipts for the services, Every 6K miles. I would rather have a 97 M900 with 20k miles that's been properly maintained than a 05 620 with 10k that hasn't, they'll cost about the same too.

I made the exact same jump that you did, CBR600RR to monster and I haven't looked back. The monster experience is not about going as fast as possible, it is much more of a making your bike unique experience. Even though my bike is now several times slower than my previous one, I don't regret it, I have another bike if I want to go fast.

I just made a jump from a 1200 Suzuki Bandit to a 2001 Monster 750.

Less power, but way more fun to ride.  I don't regret it for a second.

This quote is gonna make some trouble.

 [evil]


 [laugh]

I just realized the m750 is a 5 speed; do you think that's going to be a noticeable difference for me?

Also, the rear tire is a 160; I've been very used to a 180.

the skinny rear isn't the end of the world  [thumbsup]

but the 5 speed might be a bummer... if you're taking a serious look at a 750, the 620 puts out about the same power, w/6 speed and (most of them) dual front brakes

Thanks for the advice. It looks like the 620 is around 48HP and the 750 is 68. That seems like a rather large jump. Have you ridden both?

What bike would you recommend to get? I'd really like it to be fuel injected and have enough oomph to get me stop light to stop light in the funnest manner.

I went from a 2000 CBR 600 to an 2005 S2R 800 a few years back. It was definitely not as fast as the CBR. I would say stay away from the 620 (no offense to you 620 owners out there) because you will be missing that extra power out of corners you used to have. As far as fun factor goes, the monster for some reason was just better than the CBR.

When it comes to maintenance, the Ducati will require a little more attention than the Honda. I think the best way to put it is that you really can't neglect it as much.

The 160 rear tire, along with lower weight, is what make the smaller Monsters so fun to ride.  It allows for better agility... faster turn-in.

not all of us care to be the fastest kid on the block...  [beer]  fast enough and flickable still makes for a great day on the bike


the M600 and the M620 are different bikes... M620 is fuel injected, 63hp, 6 speed, dual brakes.

I have a 620  [thumbsup]

http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/ducati_monster_620_dark_2005.php (http://www.bikez.com/motorcycles/ducati_monster_620_dark_2005.php)

This bike? Any year I should look out for? Looks like I can test ride a couple of 620's in my area. Everything else is hours away.

Thanks!

that's silly... they got their HP numbers wrong, but the torque is right.

there might have been a change in ECU versions from the earliest ones to the later ones.

big change happened through '05. up to early '05, the bike had the steel tank and 4 piston 'goldline' brembo calipers up front. late '05 and '06 have plastic tank and the smaller 2 piston brakes

also, iirc, there was a point where single brake darks were available.

in any case, up to early '05 will have better brakes  :)


2007 they came out with the 695... more displacement, and closed-loop ECU (and it's own set of, er, issues...)

Wanting to be the fastest kid on the block would have you looking toward an S4R. All I am saying is that between the 620 and 750, well someone coming off a 600 I-4 will be a little more pleased with the power of a 750. Just saying.

having ridden both a 620 and 750, there isn't a massive difference in the performance... more displacement vs shorter gear ratios.

and neither of them make near the peak HP of a 600 I4

then get a monster that already has the termi's, so you know that it runs smooth and does not have stalling problems. after i put termi's on mine, the local shop (which was supposedly a solid B+ repair shop) could not get it running correctly.

read the forums and you'll get scared about these stalling ducs as it can be very hard to fix.

a dyno-tune fixed mine perfectly. thankfully i had a full termi with the race ecu as the stock ecu can not be dyno tuned fully.

i really can't get a feel from your post on how much power you want??? 

I'm not sure how much power I want. I know that I don't care for liter power but I don't want a 250.

I think a nice toquey flickable comfortable and throaty bike would work.

I was looking into 2002 S4's; there's one on CL. If my bike sells tomorrow I think I'm going to pick it up.

What do you guys think about S4's?

S4=good  [beer]

The 03 monster 800ie is a fuel enjected bike and 6 speed.  basically the newer version of the 750;  I own one and I love it.  I am a power freak. I feel as though the bike is enough to make you say Oh sh!t! but never Oh Sh!T.  That all being said if I buy another monster it will be a 1000 or bigger.  I need that Oh SH!T in my life  [thumbsup] [moto]

~JD

i would definitely consider a smaller displacement if it was a play bike, but for open road (i do a lot of commuting) and play, a torque monster with ~120hp is the sweet spot. a used S4, tuono, or RC51 are my short list and i wish i could afford all 3  [moto]

This is mainly a commuter but I don't want to call it that. I'm going to take everywhere I need go and then on some twisties (sometimes). I lost my license last year and have subsequently been forced to go the speed limit  [bang]

However, I still get to the speed limit in the fastest most fun manner!  [moto]

the biggest complaint I hear from people jumping off an I4 to the ducati twin is "dude, wtf,  8k redline in first!?!"  And then I have to explain that ducs don't make power up there and you don't have to flog it to make it move.  Most still don't understand and I can see the smoke coming out their ears as they try to understand low-end torque.

that said, I think the weakest link in the 'smaller' monsters is the suspension.  If you can get that S4, good choice.  an S2R1000 is a good choice too.  The 600/620/800 are non-adjustable (externally) suspension wise.  Not sure about the 750.

Plus, you can swing a dead cat and not hit a monster, unlike a kawihonsuzamaha.

I was not aware that you can't adjust the suspension on the smaller displacement monsters.

I would like an S2 or S4r but I can't seem to like the single side dual exhaust!

The S4 I wanted sold so it'll probably be a 620, 800, or another S4.

Thanks!

The forks are non-adjustable but the shock can be adjusted for damping and preload.

oops yes, sorry, that's correct. I was thinking forks only.  The rear is 2-way.

Might as well be a pogo stick for all the good it does